Tuesday, May 28, 2013

#Coronavirus - Saudi Arabia reports 5 more MERS-CoV cases

CIDRAP

Robert Roos News Editor

May 28, 2013 (CIDRAP News) – Saudi Arabia reported today that five
more people have been infected with the Middle East respiratory
syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), as if to underline yesterday's warning
from the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) that the novel
virus is a global threat.

-snip-

MERS-CoV designationIn other developments, the WHO
announced today that it is accepting the name MERS-CoV for the novel
virus, despite a general aversion to geographic references in the names
of newly discovered viruses.

-snip-

Patent issuesAlso today, a story in BMJ offered more
details on intellectual property issues related to MERS-CoV. Albert
Osterhaus, DVM, PhD, head of viriology at Erasmus Medical Center in the
Netherlands, told the journal that Erasmus has applied for patents on
MERS-CoV genetic sequences and on possible related products such as
diagnostics and vaccines.